What is the purpose of a museum? Answer with reference to at least three examples

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What is the purpose of a museum? Answer with reference to at least three examples

 

Museums are essentially institutions that collect and care for objects of historical or cultural importance and make them available for public viewing.  Museums are very accessible to the public, often with free admittance and the information available is easy to read.  There exists a wide range of topic and scope for which a museum is dedicated to.  Despite a diverse range of themes, they all more or less have in common how they function, their contribution to society and their purposes.  To explore the latter is the topic of this essay.

Perhaps the most immediate function of a museum is to physically store historical artefacts, artwork etc. and intervene in the decay of such important items.  The generic format for most museums is exhibits of artefacts, usually in lit vacuum display cases, are shown with bold, easy-to-read information regarding the artefact next to it.  The cases are safely sealed, protect the artefact and allow for viewing.

Museums are a popular days out to people of all ages, intellect and historical knowledge.  In addition to the exhibits and aesthetics of the place, there are usually other activities that should be pleasurable.  Properties owned by the National Trust are a prime example of this and host seasonal events like at Halloween and Easter, days out for kids and have little or nothing to do with history (What’s on around the country, The National Trust Website).  Sutton Hoo in Suffolk is an excellent example of where a prominent archaeological site and museum have become a family attraction too with children’s activities, playgrounds and ‘adventure trails’ in wooded areas.  Needless to say; the vast majority of Sutton Hoo’s visitors are not archaeologists.  Entertainment, therefore, appears to be another key purpose of museums.

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Despite the obvious limitations of quality, information displayed at museums can be detailed and if visitors wish to read thoroughly they can learn considerable amounts on a given topic providing intellectual stimulation making museums a form of education centre.  Dianne Lees, the director-general of the Imperial War Museum says that the purpose of the museum is to “ensure that future generations understand the causes, and most importantly the consequences of war”.  Information contained in museums on the whole is straightforwardly presented and usually excludes historiography and references, thereby, making it easily accessible to the public (Corsane ed. 2005).  Other ...

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